How to lay porcelain tile over a concrete floor.
Tile over concrete basement wall.
Existing pipes that run along the inside of concrete basement walls a common issue often create another problem.
Laying down tiles on walls can give your home a new fresh look.
The early application of tiles as floor finish was not as successful as it is today because older style tiles broke too easily.
However if you re building a shower it s critically important that you have a waterproof membrane separating the finish materials tile from the structure concrete walls and cement backboard on any framed walls you build.
I suggest painting the walls with redgard a sort of paintable rubber.
Skip this step and we guarantee your new tile will crack right over the cracks in the concrete.
This can be solved by simply leaving the pipe in place and building the new wall.
Ceramic and porcelain tile are so frequently installed at or above grade level on a cement board underlayment or directly on plywood that it almost seems novel to install tile directly on concrete.
Technically cement board can be laid over a concrete slab as the base for a tile installation.
Grind off all ridges or mortar protruding out from the wall with a concrete grinder.
When the concrete wall is plumb tile can be applied directly to the surface or a metal lath can be fastened to the wall with a scratch.
Cut the membrane so it s 1 1 2 times the width of your tiles.
Concrete provides one of the most stable working platforms in the world and is the preferred foundation layer for a ceramic or porcelain tile.
Scrub concrete walls with a wire brush to remove debris dust or any other materials stuck to the wall.
Installing tile directly on concrete.
Then prime the concrete see photo 2 with the recommended solution consult the membrane manufacturer s literature.
Then you tile over that.
Yet this application does make sense since concrete is heavy solid and is typically thought of as an unbending uncompromising material.
But doing so is a very laborious time consuming process that is likely more trouble than it is worth.
A better solution is to prepare and resurface the concrete slab so that it can accept thin set adhesive or a mortar base onto which to lay tile.
You paint the floor too.
As long as you inspect the surface and follow the proper procedure the project should go smoothly.
Laying your concrete basement floor with ceramic tiles is an excellent way to enhance both the beauty and lifespan of your concrete basement floor.